Zwift deciding to partner with JetBlack for the VOLT was one of the smartest decisions they could have made, hardware-wise, in terms of finding a reasonably solid trainer, and then dropping the price a bunch to try and get more people on the platform. In terms of ease of use, setup, and the entire unboxing/first ride experience, it’s very well done. They’ve done some little things around the thru-axle adapters and such that really do make a difference if this is your first time dealing with a smart trainers.
In terms of the durability of the hardware, the existing VOLT hardware/unit has more than proven itself to be a good choice long-term, with me seeing virtually no customer complaints on my previous reviews. And anything else that pops up the company has fixed quickly. That’s notable because as much branding as Zwift has thrown at this, this remains a partnership between Zwift and JetBlack, and ensuring you’ve got a good partner is key – especially for longer-term updates and tweaks.
Which, like anything, isn’t to say it’s perfect. Obviously, we’ve discussed the warm-up calibration bits, though I think it’ll also be over-discussed. Every trainer under $800 has far greater calibration/warm-up/accuracy issues (relatively speaking) than the Zwift Hub. And it’s only when you get to a $900 trainer (Wahoo KICKR CORE, plus more for a cassette) that you can find something that just barely edges it out. The bigger reason to buy a Wahoo KICKR CORE isn’t the accuracy – it’s the integration with the Wahoo KICKR CLIMB.
And that all mostly sidesteps the most obvious thing: Zwift doesn’t really care at that point if you buy a KICKR CORE instead. Their goal here isn’t to make meaningful amounts of money on trainers. Their goal is to sell and retain Zwift subscription and its recurring revenue, especially to newer cyclists to the virtual realm. That’s *the entire point* of the Zwift Hub.
And to that end, I think Zwift’s done a really good job of striking the right balance in offering a product at a fantastic price point that bats well above every other trainer in that price ballpark.